Tricycle



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. YINGST.

TRIGY'GLE.

Patent-ed Dec. 11, 1888.

' 19 a a I N. FUERS, Fholmuvhugnpber, Washinglnn. n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CYRUS YINGST, OF ANNVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,429, dated December 11, 1888.

Application filed March 21, 1888- Serial No. 268,166. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CYRUS YINGST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Annville, in the county of Lebanon and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tricycles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in tricycles; and it consists of the peculiar combination of devices and novel construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved tricycle with propelling mechanism which can be readily and easily operated by hand, to adapt the same to be driven by a person of any age or sex, to provide mechanism adapted for taking up the slack in the sprocket-chains intermediate the driving and driven shafts, and to provide steering mechanism which can be adjusted to cause the machine to travel in a direct line, or to describe a curve either to the right or the left to adapt the machine to round corners or turn completely around.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tricycle embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view of a part of the driving-wheel. Fig. 3 is a detail top plan view of the driving mechanism detached from the tricycle. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the steeringrod. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view, on the line as of Fig. 3, to show the manner of connecting the adjustable bearings to the frame g. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a portion of my improved tricycle with one end of the driving-shaft and the parts connected therewith broken away, and Fig. 8 is a front elevation.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures, A and A designate the front and rear wheels of a tricycle embodying my invention. The front wheel, A, constitutes the driving-wheel of my improved tricycle, and is driven from a power-shaft, B, through intermediate sprocket-wheel and chain gearing, presently described, and this driving-wheel has a series of pointed thumbscrews, (1, fitted in suitable threaded apertures in the perimeter of the wheel. These screws can be projected equally beyond the face of the wheel, to adapt it to travel,without slipping, over ice, frozen ground, snow, &c.; but when the machine travels over ordinary roads said screws are set even with the tire to leave the face of the driving-wheel smooth.

designates a vertical fork, which is connected to the axle of the front wheel, A, and to the head or upper end of this fork is loosely connected the front end of a main frame, C, which frame extends from the fork to the rear axle of the machine. This frame consists of two horizontal members, which are arranged in different horizontal planes, and which are connected by a vertically-inchned arm, c, (see Fig. 1,) a seat, being arranged immediately over the rear axle of the machine.

The driving mechanism of my improved tricycle is located on the elevated front part of this main frame C, immediately in front of the operator occupying the seat C and this mechanism comprises a horizontal shaft, which carries gear-wheels that are connected by intermediate sprocket-chains with the front axle of the machine, as will be more fully hereinafter described and referred to by reference-letters. To preserve the alignment of the sprocket-wheels on the driving-shaft and front axle when said axle, the front wheel, and the fork are turned to steer the machine, I mount or arrange the driving mechanism on a pivoted supplemental frame, g, which rests on the front elevated member or part of the main frame. The supplemental frame is pivoted at its front end to the main frame, (see Fig. 1,) so that it can be turned on its pivot when the angle or position of the front axle and wheel is changed. The rear end of this supplemental frame g is braced by means of inclined rods 0 0 one of which is arranged on each side of the supplemental frame, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, and these rods extend from the lower end of the vertical fork to the rear end of the supplemental frame. The upper ends of these rods are bolted to the sides of the supplemental frame at the rear end thereof, and the lower ends of the rods are likewise secured to the bifurcated arms of the vertical fork at a point immediately above the extended ends of the front axle, whereby the rear end of the supplemental frame is materially braced and strengthened and moves or swings positively when the position or angle of the front axle and wheel is changed.

The sides of the supplemental frame g are slotted longitudinally, as at g, and in these slots slide bolts 9 which are secured to adjustable standards h 71, said standards being independently connected to the frame to slide a limited distance back and forth thereon. Each standard is bifurcated, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, and each leg thereof has a pin-andslot connection with the frame g, as above de scribed, and in suitable bearings, h, on said standards is journaled a power-shaft, l3, having its ends extended beyond the bearings to adapt sprocket-wheels B B to be secured thereto. Sprocket-chains c 6 pass over these sprocket-wheels and over similar wheels, B affixed to the ends of the axle of the drivingwheel A, whereby power from the drivingshaft B is transmitted to the front drivingwheel.

The sliding standards and the bearings carried thereby are adapted to be adjusted by horizontal screws 1' 2', which are arranged parallel with each other on the sides of the supplemental frame g at the rear thereof, and these screws work in suitable bearings, 1", fixed to the frame g, and have hand-piece s, whereby they can be conveniently manipulated. The front ends of the adjusting-screws are swiveled to the sliding standards, and the screws can be turned to simultaneously draw both standards rearwardly or advance the same.

It is obvious that by manipulating the adjusting-screws the sliding standards h and the driving-shaft can be drawn rearward when necessary to tighten thev sprocl'cet-chains e to the desired extent without changing the course of the machine.

To the lateral faces of the sprocket-wheels B on the driving-shaft are secured crank: handles 1) b, which can be conveniently grasped by the operator occupying the seat 0 to propel the machine by hand, and these cranks have slots through which are passed bolts 0 c, to adjustably secure the cranks to the sprocket-wheels, and thereby permit the cranks tobe lengthened or shortened to vary the power thereof.

K is the steerin g-rod, which extends beneath the driving-shaft within convenient reach of the operator, and the front end of this rod is firmly secured to a segment, Z, which is pivotally connected to the vertical fork by a transverse pin or bolt, 72, that is secured in the ends 19 of the segment and fitted so as to rock or turn in the head of the vertical fork.

The segment has three or more notches, m, cut in the lower edge thereof, into one of which fits a vertical lug or stud, r, fixed to the front elevated member of the main frame C. (See Fig. 1.)

To adapt the steering-rod to change the line of travel of the machine, it is necessary that the segment shall be'lifted up stiffi ciently to clear the stud 0', which vertical movement of the segment is permitted by the pin or bolt n turning in the head of the fork, and the steering-rod can now be turned horizontally in either direction to correspondingly change the course of the machine, after which the rod and segment are lowered to permit the stud r to enter one of the notches in the segment, which holds the steering-rod and segment in fixed position and keeps the machine on the desired course until the steering-rod is readjusted.

The steering-rod is designed to be used to hold the machine on a straight course, when the stud r fits in the central notch, m, or to round corners or travel on a curved line, when said stud fits in one or the other of the side notches.

Immediately in front of the driving-shaft fixed to the supplemental frame g, and to the upper end of said standard is pivoted a brakelever, Q, the pivot-bolt passing through the lever at an intermediate point of its length to provide a long and short arm. A friction wheel or disk, 8, is secured to the rotary driving-shaft B, between the sprocketewheels thereof, and a brake-shoe, q, is adapted to bear on this disk to retard or arrest the driving-shaft B when desired. This brake-shoe is fixed to the long arm of the brake-lever, as shown in Fig. 1, and to the free end of the short arm of said brake-lever is connected a retracting-spring, s, the opposite end of which spring is connected to the frame g, to normally raise the long arm of said lever and keep the brake-shoe q. out of contact with the friction-disk. v

The long arm of the brake-lever extends rearwardly within convenient reach of the operator, and can be readily depressed to cause the shoe to impinge against the friction-disk, and thereby retard the latter and drivingshaft B.

, Depending from the main carrying-frame C of the machine are foot-rests T, on which the feet of the operator are placed.

It is obvious that the rear wheel, A can be removed from the axle and a sled connected to the axle and supporting-frame of the machine. The operation of my 1nvent1on 1S obvious from the foregoing description, taken in con nection with the drawings.

Changes in the form and proportion of parts and details of construction can be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In atricycle, the combination of a pivoted supplemental frame, the sliding bearings carried by said frame, adjusting-screws for moving the bearings, a driving-shaft journaled in said bearings and carrying the sprocket-wheels, and sprocket-chainsintermediate of the sprocket-wheels on said shaft and similar Wheels on the front axle, substantially as described.

2. In a tricycle, the combination of a pivoted supplemental frame, the sliding bearings carried by said frame and each having a slotand-pin connection therewith, ad justingscrews for moving the bearings, a drivingshaft journaled in the bearings, connections intermediate said driving-shaft and the front axle, and a steering-rod connected to the head of the fork and adapted to be held in a fixed position by engagement with the main frame of the machine, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

3. In a tricycle, the combination of a pivoted supplemental frame, the sliding bearings, a driving-shaft connected by intermediate devices with the front axle, adj Listing-screws for moving said bearings, a steering-rod secured to a notched segment which is pivotally connected to the head of the vertical fork, and a fixed stud on the main frame of the machine, with which the segment is adapted to engage, substantially as described.

4. In a tricycle, the combination of a pivoted supplemental frame, a driving-sha ft journaled on said frame and carrying a frictiondisk and the sprocket-Wheels, the sprocketchains passing over said Wheels and similar Wheels fixed to the front axle, cranks for rotating the driving-shaft, and a spring-controlled brake-lever pivoted on the supplemental frame and carrying a shoe adapted to be pressed into contact With the friction-disk, substantially as and for the purpose described.

CYRUS YINGsT,

\Vitnesses:

J ()HN H. KINPORTS, DAVID O. SHENK. 

